Ever wondered what it would be like to live without electricity and modern appliances? This is an opportunity to visit an Amish home, get to know your hostess and learn how to bake bread in a wood fired stove. After the bread is baked and the butter made, you will enjoy the freshly made bread and butter with a warm beverage. Take home a loaf of fresh baked bread and get to know our local Amish community. The class meets at Eagle Bluff and travels via Eagle Bluff van to the Amish home.

Note: The Amish do not allow photos to be taken or names to be published. Travel time is included at beginning and end of class.

A new electroacoustic duo that uses live looping software and electronics and featuring flute and bass clarinet, WoodWired will rock the Noble Recital Hall of the Jenson-Noble Hall of Music on the Luther campus.

Get outside and enjoy the winter at Barneløpet, a non-competitive ski or walk event for the community’s youngest skiers, ages 3-13. The collaborative Vesterheim Museum and Sons of Norway event will be held at the Decorah Community Prairie on Saturday, February 3, at 10:00 a.m., with registration beginning at 9:30 a.m. Skiers must provide their own skis.more info...

02/05/18 -03/08/18

Call For Artists - Pushpin Show

ArtHaus in Decorah is seeking photographers of all types and stripes to help cover their gallery with photos for the Push-Pin Show.

No mats or frames are necessary, each print will be pinned to the ArtHaus gallery wall using a maximum of 4 pushpins. Photographs must be original and can be dropped off between 1-5 Monday-Saturday starting February 5.

The entry fee is $5 per photo.

Photographers are encouraged to sell their work with a silent auction bid form with a percentage of the proceeds going to help sustain the ArtHaus gallery.

Photographers submitting photos between Feb 5-17 will receive 60% of bid, Feb 19-March 3 will receive 50%, and March 5-9 will receive 40%. So the sooner you submit, the better!

A closing reception with refreshments will take place March 9, where people may make their final bids and collect their photographs.more info...

02/05/18

Municipal Electric Utility Brownbag for Business

Decorah Power invites all business, institutional, and industry leadership to a special presentation of the Municipal Electric Utility feasibility study.

Read the full and detailed NewGen study report at www.decorahpower.com, and bring your questions. No RSVP necessary, share with your peers, and bring a friend or colleague.

Annual Spaghetti Supper, Pie Auction, Live Auction and Raffle
This annual fundraiser helps with general operating expenses and site improvements. The meal includes spaghetti, garlic toast, salad, dessert and beverages. $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 5-12. Free for ages 4 and under. more info...

02/09/18 -02/11/18

7th Annual Blind Wine Tasting Event

Feb. 9th 4-9pm - Feb. 10 & 11th 10-5:00
We have all our new wines for you to taste & judge also have food buffet, raffles, door prizes every hour & new top wines with the most votes from YOU! Also release our Valentines wine "Romance" everyone needs a little Romance!

"Mindful Living - 101" offers basic insight into mindfulness: What is it? Who is it for? Why practice it? What are the benefits? Participants will be introduced to some of the science / research that supports a mindful awareness practice as one approach to enhance well-being. There will be opportunities to experience some mindfulness meditation practices that can be used in daily life.

There will be a “town hall” discussion as an opportunity for those who wish to speak with city staff about any questions or concerns regarding the municipalization of the electric utility.
This will be a time for the public to speak with city staff and city manager about municipalization efforts. Questions will be addressed by the city manager's office so they may be compiled for further study and response.more info...

02/10/18

Town Hall Electric Utility Discussion

On behalf of the Decorah city council, links to all applicable municipal electric feasibility studies and information have been posted to the city’s website: www.decorahia.org.
The city council has also asked you, as members of the public to provide any questions you may have regarding municipalization of the electric utility to Chad Bird's office so they may be compiled for further study and response.
To assist in this effort, and to provide some discussion on the topic, join in a “town hall” discussion as an opportunity to speak with city staff about some of these issues. This will be a time for the public to speak with city staff about the municipalization efforts. more info...

02/11/18

Peace Brunch Buffet

Let us delight your appetite with our brunch in Peace Dining Room on selected Sundays. Be our guest as you enjoy this delicious event while admiring the view to the west of the beautiful, meandering Upper Iowa River.

Winneshiek Wildberry Winery hosts its monthly brunch. Quiche, potatoes, two types of meat and bread pudding will all be available as well as seasonal foods.more info...

02/11/18

St. Benedict School Mardi Gras

The annual Mardi Gras festival invites kids and adults of all ages to join in the fun on Sunday, February 26th, 2017 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at St. Benedicts School, 402 Rural Avenue in Decorah. A kids carnival with games and prizes, a bouncy house sponsored by Tony and Kelly Coppola, temporary tattoos, Bingo for all ages, silent auction baskets, Balloon Artist Kevin Lindh, raffle and popcorn are part of the days events. The a-la-carte menu includes slices of pizza, homemade bars and beverages sponsored by Mabe’s Pizza and St Benedict families.

The festival is highlighted by a raffle, featuring a Minneapolis Family Fun Vacation sponsored by Iowa Rotocast Plastics and KVIK, which includes one night of lodging at the Waterpark of America, 4 Nickelodeon Universe Unlimited Ride Wristbands and $100.00 gas card. Other great prizes include a X-Box donated by A&J Petersburg and Joe and Jamie Gavle, a 50” TV donated by Sims TV & Electronics and Ryan and Amy Christensen, Great Wolf Lodge Resort Getaway including a one night double queen suite for 4 with waterpark, $200.00 gift card to use at the lodge and a $100.00 gas card donated by Randall Olson, DDS, $250.00 Scrip Dollars sponsored by Hacker, Nelson, & Co., Four Floral Bouquets of recipients choice donated by Ladybug Landscapes, Auny Pole Photography Session donated by Auny & Ethan Pole, a Grizzly 40 Cooler donated by Grizzly Coolers, an Apple Watch donated by Westside Dental and Two Complete Car Details at Steve’s Car Care donated by Steve’s Car Care and JB Holland.

The silent auction will feature theme baskets created by the families and staff of St. Benedict School including: Girl Power Basket, Boy Oh Boy Basket, A Day at the Beach Basket, Family Fun Basket, Arts and Crafts Basket, Chef’s Basket, Let’s Do Coffee and Tea Basket, Summer Nights Family Fun Basket, Pamper Yourself Basket, Decorah Vikings Basket, A Basket for Dad, Movies & Munchies Basket, and a Date Night Basket.

Settle in and get unsettled this winter at Nordic Noir Film Nights! Vesterheim, the national Norwegian-American museum and heritage center, and Luther College's Nordic Studies Program are showing free Scandinavian crime films the second Tuesday of the month from January through April.

The first film will be the Norwegian version of “Insomnia” (R) on January 9 at 7:00 pm. in the first floor gallery of the museum’s Main Building.

The film series will continue with “Wallander” (BBC, TV-MA) on February 13, “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” (American version, R) on March 13, and “Occupied” (Norwegian version, TV-PG) on April 10. Each film will be at 7:00 p.m. and will feature an introduction and discussion led by members of the Nordic Studies Program. Parental guidance is strongly suggested.

Join us at Curves to cut the ribbon and invite them into our business community!more info...

02/14/18

Parenting In Today's Sexual Climate: Teen Dating & Violence

Northeast Iowa Community Action Center will be hosting a free event covering the topic of Teen Dating & Violence. These are held the 2nd Wednesday of every month. The presenters this month are Brittany McIntyre of Helping Services and Jazmon Boose from NEICAC.more info...

The Northeast Iowa Peace and Justice Center is excited to host a screening for the documentary "Look and See." This film is a cinematic portrait of the changing landscapes and shifting values of rural America in the era of Industrial Agriculture. "Look and See" documents the life and accomplishments of writer, activist, and farmer, Wendell Berry.more info...

02/16/18

Pecha Kucha Night at Pulpit Rock Brewery

The ArtHaus is hosting Pecha Kucha Night at Pulpit Rock Brewery on the evening of Friday, February 16th from 8:00 - 10:00 PM. These events are fast paced and fun where presenters will show 20 slides for 20 seconds each. The theme of the first Pecha Kucha Night is Color and presenters will be covering the topic in any way that they choose. The evening will be a fun night of pints, presentations, and of course, color. Admission is $5.

Still want a place for you and your little ones to run off some energy this winter? Then you're in luck...the turnout for Free Friday Morning Open Gyms the past few weeks has been so great, that Luther College Wellness has decided to add on three additional dates!

Steven Page, of the Barenaked Ladies, joins Toronto's highly inventive Art of Time Ensemble in an evening of seminal songs by Randy Newman, Radiohead, Elvis Costello, Barenaked Ladies, Leonard Cohen, and others. These gems are reimagined by some of the greatest minds in classical, pop, and jazz, and delivered by a defining voice in contemporary rock. Songbook is chamber music for the modern era.more info...

02/17/18

Access Bars Practitioners Class

The Access Bars have the capacity to create shifts in your body shifts in your level of awareness and shifts in your level of joy. more info...

02/17/18

Danika & the Jeb Perform at Chatfield Center for the Arts

She’s a songwriter who was almost a doctor. He’s a guitar aficionado who owns and operates his own guitar instruction company. Together they form the duo Danika Holmes featuring Jeb Hart, a soulful combination of acoustic pop and blues that hits the heart with their blended talents and they're making their way to the Chatfield Center for the Arts for an intimate and up-close performance.

Tickets are general admission with limited seating; tickets are $17 in advance or $20 at the door.more info...

02/18/18

Peace Brunch Buffet

Let us delight your appetite with our brunch in Peace Dining Room on selected Sundays. Be our guest as you enjoy this delicious event while admiring the view to the west of the beautiful, meandering Upper Iowa River.

The Amish Valley Cabins in Canton, MN would like to invite folks out to experience their newly established ski and sled hill. They have just installed a tow rope to assist in bringing snow activity enthusiasts to the top of the hill.

Everyone is invited to join the Oneota Valley Community Orchestra for their mid-season concert on Sunday, February 18th at 2:00 pm. Featuring works by Beethoven, Mozart, and Haydn, the OVCO will pay tribute to the city integral to these composers’ history. This free concert will take place at Decorah High School Auditorium.

Beginning with the classic Egmont Overture, the OVCO retells Beethoven’s story of the Count of Egmont. Starting with a powerful overture, the piece transforms tragedy into triumph, parallelling Count Egmont’s 16th-century struggle for Dutch victory against the imperialistic rule of Spain.

The OVCO follows with Flute Concerto No. 1 in G Major by Mozart. Commissioned by Dutch amatuer flautist Ferdinand DeJean, the Flute Concerto was written in 1778 and reflects Mozart at the very best time of his life. Featured on this piece is Decorah native Kayla Burggraf. Ms. Burggraf is principal flute in the Des Moines and Ann Arbor Symphonies, and also serves as a regular member of the Chicago Civic Orchestra. She has also performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Chicago Lyric Opera, and Milwaukee Symphony. The OVCO is excited to welcome Ms. Burggraf back to Decorah to perform this wonderful piece for flute and orchestra.

Following a brief intermission, the OVCO concludes with Haydn’s Symphony No. 101 in D Major, popularly known as “The Clock” Symphony. Starting with a dramatic, slow introduction, the symphony gets its nickname with the clockwork ticking with staccato bassoons and plucked strings in the lively second movement. Continuing with an elaborate third movement and ending with a brilliant fourth movement, this piece is sure to be an stirring crowd pleaser.

Founded in 2014 under the direction of Matthew Cody, the Oneota Valley Community Orchestra presents free live classical music to the residents of the Oneota Valley, promotes music education, and provides the opportunity for amateur and professional musicians to perform great masterpieces of music. The fourth season of the OVCO is sponsored by the Marion E. Jerome Foundation and The Depot Outlet.

No school today! Stop in the store and build K'NEX with us! Create your own design or work on some of our kits. Open to all ages-toddler-adult. Make it a family event!more info...

02/20/18

Barnetimen (Children's Hour)

Vesterheim, the national Norwegian-American museum and heritage center, invites all pre-school-aged children and their parents or caregivers to Barnetimen (Children's Hour) this school year. Join Vesterheim Youth Educator Jennifer Kovarik and Decorah ArtHaus Director and Instructor Shannon Dallenbach Durbin on the third Tuesday of each month to explore art and culture.more info...

02/20/18

Luther College Woman's Club February meeting

What are “agricultural cities”? And how can these cities promote economic and cultural vitality in Decorah and the Driftless Region? Learn about the Agricultural City Campaign from author Robert Wolf, one of its leaders, during the next meeting of the Luther College Woman’s Club.

Wolf will present “Regionalism: An Idea Whose Time Has Come” at the group’s February meeting, to be held Tuesday, February 20, at 1:30 p.m. in Peace Dining Room, Dahl Centennial Union, on the Luther College campus. All women from Decorah and surrounding communities are invited to attend. Shuttle service from the Decorah Swimming Pool is available and leaves at 1:10 p.m. In addition to the program, a short business meeting, refreshments, and special music by Luther faculty or students are on the afternoon’s agenda.
During the meeting, Wolf will explore the ongoing Agricultural City Campaign, formed to promote economic and cultural vitality by educating, advocating, connecting, and implementing a vision of regional collaborative development in the Driftless Region.

What is an “agricultural city”? First imagine that towns in neighboring rural counties no longer see themselves as distinct entities, but as nodes of population within one city. Then imagine that these clusters of towns understand that only cooperation and coordinated effort will reverse decline and restore prosperity. Finally, imagine numerous “agricultural cities” within the Driftless Region. Together they would function as an ark, a cooperative network of farms, businesses, industries, towns and cities that will help us survive our turbulent times—times that almost certainly will become more difficult.

A former Chicago Tribune columnist, Robert Wolf has roamed America for most of his life, writing his version of the American story and getting others to write theirs. In 1990, he established Free River Press, a nonprofit publishing house that documents contemporary America through writing workshops with people from all walks of life. The press’s workshops and publications have been featured on CBS News Sunday Morning, National Public Radio’s All Things Considered and Morning Edition and in virtually every major daily newspaper in the country.

In 2010 Wolf brought Free River Press to radio with American Mosaic with Robert Wolf, a nationally syndicated weekly half-hour program featuring the Free River Press stories read by their writers. Wolf is the author and editor of numerous books, including Building the Agricultural City: A Handbook for Rural Renewal, the basis of a film by the same name. In 1994 he won the Sigma Delta Chi Award from the Society of Professional Journalists for the Best Radio Editorial of the Year for his six-part editorial, “On Developing Regional Rural Economies.”

Northeast Iowa Community College will be hosting an informational session about their upcoming career training program in Swine Production (Career Pathway Certificate)more info...

02/23/18

Celebrating Rocks and Hard Places with Vesterheim at Pulpit Rock

Come raise a glass to Norwegian immigrants and navigating life’s hardships during a special reception at Pulpit Rock Brewing Company for Vesterheim Museum’s exhibition “Rocks and Hard Places: Emigration Through the Lens of Knud Knudsen.”

Come and go as you like. There will be a cash bar, and a brief talk by Vesterheim President and CEO Chris Johnson around 7:45.more info...

02/23/18

Blood Drive at Winneshiek Medical Center

Donating blood is safe, simple and it saves lives. It takes just one hour to make a life-saving blood donation, which will impact the lives of up to three different hospital patients. You can make a difference in your community by helping to maintain the local blood supply when you donate blood with LifeServe Blood Center.

Appointments are recommended, but walk-in donors will be worked into the schedule as time allows.more info...

02/24/18

Lamajamal - Center Stage Series

A "band without borders," Lamajamal's mix of riveting cross-cultural music promises to take folk music from all over the world an infuse it with their own brand of danceable grooves.

Lamajamal combines Middle Eastern, North African, Balkan, and Roma traditions with luscious, dubbed-out production, hip-hop influence, and a rock band's sensibilities. Highly danceable, heavily percussive, with a "knack for sexy, serpentine grooves and a mean, mean oud player" (Chicago Reader), Lamajamal has a sound that will infect the audience with its complex, riveting, and cross-cultural influences.more info...

02/24/18

Decorah Power Fund Raising Auction

Bring your friends to the Elks Lodge to enjoy the food and fun. We are raising funds to support the work of Decorah Power in seeking to establish a Municipal Electric Utility in Decorah.

Decorah Power, a group of local citizens exploring the opportunity to create a municipal electric utility, will host a fund-raising auction. Tickets available at The Oneota Food Coop.

Come help us celebrate great feasibility study results, eat gourmet appetizers, listen to live music and raise money for the next phase of bringing a public electric utility to Decorah. The event will include gourmet appetizers, live music and live and silent auctions.

"Mindful Living - 102" focuses on the foundational pillars of mindfulness: Beginner's Mind, Trust, Patience, Non-Judgment, Non-Striving, Acceptance, and Letting Go. Participants will be given ideas on how to strengthen a personal mindful awareness practice. There will be opportunities to experience a variety of mindfulness meditation practices for daily life.

Decorah Parks and Recreation will host the very first Great Inflate and Pancake Breakfast.

The Lion's Club and Decorah Parks & Rec would like to invite you to join in this winter activity fundraising event. Participants of all ages are invited to bounce, climb, slide, and run through seven oversized inflatable obstacle courses and slides. Inflatables include Jurassic Survivor Obstacle Course, Home Run Derby, Little Builder Toddler Zone, and many more!

Participants will receive a wristband when they register at the door, allowing them to stay for as little or as long as they want. The cost is $5 per participant, and observers are free. The Decorah Lions Club will provide a pancake breakfast during the event, and will collect free will donations to support the Tree Bank and reforesting Decorah's parks.

The Great Inflate is sponsored by DECO Products, Gundersen Health System, The Family Table, and Viking State Bank & Trust.

Let us delight your appetite with our brunch in Peace Dining Room on selected Sundays. Be our guest as you enjoy this delicious event while admiring the view to the west of the beautiful, meandering Upper Iowa River.

The Northeast Iowa Peace and Justice Center will be celebrating Black History Month and invites you to attend a Black History Reading Group led by Julie Fischer. Anyone interested in participating is welcome to select a related book of their choice from the NEIPJC library or another source and sign up to partake in the discussion. more info...

02/27/18

Amish Experience: Bread Making Demonstration

Ever wondered what it would be like to live without electricity and modern appliances? This is an opportunity to visit an Amish home, get to know your hostess and learn how to bake bread in a wood fired stove. After the bread is baked and the butter made, you will enjoy the freshly made bread and butter with a warm beverage. Take home a loaf of fresh baked bread and get to know our local Amish community. The class meets at Eagle Bluff and travels via Eagle Bluff van to the Amish home.Note: The Amish do not allow photos to be taken or names to be published. Travel time is included at beginning and end of class.

The Decorah High School Choirs and Chamber Orchestra are presenting a concert celebrating the classical composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

The public is invited to attend this special music presentation.more info...

02/27/18

Robert Wolf Author Talk

Everyone is invited to join local Decorah author Robert Wolf as he shares his satirical novel Grand Tally: A True Account of the Recent Happenings in Moosehead, Montana and New York City. A comedy of errors, Grand Tally is a laugh-out-loud tale of hubris, paranoia, and the absurdity of reality. Wolf will share his stories and talk about his novel on Tuesday at Dragonfly Books.